Mrs. Cheng, fifty-seven, Mrs. Lu, sixty-eight, and Mrs. Yi, fifty-eight (from left to right) explain that there used to be a chemical plant not far from their village of Xiao Cheng. It used to blow red dust into the air, and this dyed the trees, houses, and animals red. First the plants died, and then the animals. Numerous villagers fell ill, and forty died. A few men from the village complained on behalf of the community to the company who ran the factory. These men were then paid a sum of money in compensation but did not pass it on to the villagers, keeping it for themselves. It was not until the village women presented themselves at the factory that the money reached all the villagers. Now another factory near the village produces plastic bags. Even though the stench from the factory can be smelled in the village, it is said that the situation is better than it was ten to fifteen years ago. Anhui Province, August 2011